President Obama plans to meet with American Muslim leaders at the White House, the day after a video of a Jordanian pilot being burned alive was released by Islamic State terrorists.
The meeting will take place later this afternoon, according to the White House, but it will be closed to the press according to the schedule. Photographers will also be blocked from the event.
Yesterday, Obama met briefly with King Abdullah II of Jordan after news broke of the horrific ISIS video – but photographers were only allowed in for a photo-op that lasted about 30 seconds before the two leaders spoke privately.
Obama remains deeply committed to condemning the “bankrupt” ideology behind ISIS without specifically referring to radical Islamic terrorism, prompting criticism from some Republicans.
“[W]hatever ideology they are operating off of, it’s bankrupt,” he said at the White House reacting to the ISIS video.
During a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, the president openly praised American Muslims for assimilating into the population.
“Our biggest advantage, Major, is that our Muslim populations, they feel themselves to be Americans,” Obama explained to reporter Major Garrett during a press conference at the time. “And there is this incredible process of immigration and assimilation that is part of our tradition that is probably our greatest strength.”